Listening to The Minstrel of the Dawn by Gordon Lightfoot while painting a Blue jay on wood

This is one of the Blue jays that visits our backyard!

This is my first painting for the year 2017, 
my second painting on wood 
(the first was The Birth of Jesus)

The Minstrel of the Dawn is a song from Gordon Lightfoot's 1970 album Sit Down Young Stranger which was later renamed to If You Could Read my Mind. 
(I've been listening to Gordon Lightfoot since the '70's 
and his music plays a vital part in my paintings!)

Get the album and the song on iTunes

Blue jay

11"x14" oil painting on wood

“We Are Not Afraid”- Majek Fashek

We Are Not Afraid is written and performed by Majek Fashek.

This video features 150+ stars including Robert De Niro, Susan Sarandon, Sting, Mark Knopfler, Ian Anderson, Yoko Ono, Ringo Starr,  ....

Read more here

The cardinals are here to wish us a very happy first day of winter!

Christmastime

Over the years I have noticed how people tend to not celebrate Christmas because they are reminded of things that someone said or did to hurt them. 

First of all Christmas is not about you and me, but about Jesus!

When you truly love someone, it is very easy to forgive them and forget any of their wrongdoings to you. Just like a mother would forgive her child, or a child would forgive an aging parent. 
True love is unconditional. 

Therefore a lack of forgiveness must mean the absence of true love. 

It is the characteristic of some people not to ever forget. 

They tend to bring up old stories and remind you after several years. 

(Thankfully GOD has blessed me with the right amount of forgetfulness☺)  

So how do you deal with such people? 
Forgive them, pray for them, and keep a safe distance from them.

Never allow negative people to disrupt your Joy. 

Remember, the darkness of evil never has and never will extinguish GOD's light

And rather than curse the darkness by criticizing, bringing up negativity etc. 

light a candle and be the light!

Christmas is a time to show that kind of love and forgiveness.

If you are reading this, may you be blessed by HIM, 

And may you experience true Joy and Peace this Christmas Season!

"When the heart cries only GOD hears" - Sarit Hadad

Lyrics and translation of this beautiful song

You can get the song כשהלב בוכה on iTunes

or from the official website of Sarit Hadad

For the movie nights ahead

December Dove

When it's -20 degrees C, the December dove prefers to sit in its plate and eat, 
rather than sit in the cold snow!

Just dug up a foot of snow to feed the birds, and they are happy

Listening to Songs from the Wood (Jethro Tull) while painting Deer at Mukurthi

Mukurthi is a place I have visited almost thirty years ago in India, 

long before it became a National Park. 

In those days when I went hiking, I saw lots of wildlife including the Nilgiri Tahr locally known as Ibex, saw a Black panther once (some call it a leopard), herds of bison (known as Gaur in India), dholes that have followed me, and Sambar deer. I've also encountered wild boar, which was scary!

Today Mukurthi is a National Park and also a UNESCO World Heritage site, and you need permission to visit.

This is a painting of a deer at the edge of Mukurthi Lake from a photograph I took in the '80's

Mukurthi Peak in the background is about 8,300 feet, and one of my favourite hikes!

The music of Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull) has always had a tremendous influence on me while painting such themes.

Deer at Mukurthi 

24" x 36" oil painting on canvas
is also available as a high resolution print

Integrity

Giving

"It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving" - Mother Teresa

Winter Moonrise

As the sun sets in the West, look East, beyond the snow-laden trees, 

and snow-covered rooftops of Mississauga, 

and you'll see the winter moon rising into the pink December sky

Winter Walk

Feels like -12 degrees C, with a little snow on the ground

Love December sunsets!

Conscience

"A little respect (just a little bit)" - Aretha Franklin

 

 

"R E S P E C T find out what it means ..."

- Aretha Franklin

Lovely trees on our evening walk

 

 

"The story of Western Civilization in 6 minutes" - Don Henley

One of my favourite songs by The Eagles just about summarizes the times we are living in.

It's about how man destroys the environment.

In the words of Don Henley it's

"The story of Western Civilization in 6 minutes"

 

"You can leave it all behind,
And sail to Lāhainā ....
.....
We satisfy our endless needs,
And justify our bloody deeds,
In the name of destiny,
In the name of GOD"
-
Lyrics by Don Henley and Glenn Frey


Get The Last Resort by The Eagles on iTunes

Hava Nagila

Let us rejoice and be happy!

Love this version of Hava Nagila by Rika Zaraï 

Get the song on iTunes

 

Here's the version by Harry Belafonte

 

 

The lyrics and translation are here

Slow down you move too fast

 

Get The 59th Street Bridge Song by Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel on iTunes

"What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?" - Jesus

 

What is the soul?

 

Perfect explanation by Dallas Willard and John Ortberg of the soul ,

and how it integrates the will, mind and body

 

"Hurry is the great enemy of our souls in our day" - Dallas Willard

 

 

For a more detailed version of Soul Keeping by John Ortberg at Willow Creek, follow this link.

https://willowcreek.tv/sermons/south-barrington/2014/08/soul-keeping/

Replacing the camera lens cover on a Samsung Galaxy S5

 

When the camera lens cover shattered on my daughters phone, I figured I could fix it.

 

Remove the rear cover of the phone.

Remove the metal ring that holds the lens cover in place.

 

The glass/plastic cover was completely shattered so I had to make sure no broken pieces fell on to the camera

After removing the debris ...

Make sure that the phone is well protected from moisture and dust
by taping up with a temporary cover till you get a new lens cover.

 

Ordered a new replacement lens cover and bezel ... 

 

... which arrived in the mail in less than five days,

and cost me less than $8/- delivered at home!

Replaced the parts

 

 

All fixed and ready to take photos again!

 

From a design perspective, I don't like how the camera lens cover projects out on the Samsung.

This makes it easily prone to damage.

 

Which is why I prefer my Sony Z1 ☺

Check this video

 

 

 

Replacing spark plugs in the Audi A4

 

At 167,000 kilometres the engine light came on in the Audi A4, and I couldn't get an appointment with the Audi dealer, so I decided to troubleshoot and fix the problem myself!

 

 

 

Tightened a loose bolt near the electrical harness

 

 

Decided to replace spark plugs, and also use a complete fuel system cleaner

After removing the two small screws that hold the harness, the electrical connector must be gently released from the coil without breaking the tabs

(see this post for more detailed images in the Audi A3)

 

Lift the ignition coils out of the cylinder head 

 

Remove and replace the spark plugs 

 

Dirty petrol and a fuel cap that isn't shut properly can also cause the engine light to come on

From my experience, I think Shell has cleaner petrol (gasoline) than Esso!
 

For more detailed images, see how I replaced spark plugs in the Audi A3

Happy driving!

🎵 "Because all of us are all one living human tissue" - Roni Dalumi

"Someone"

See the lyrics and translation here

 

"Because all of us, yes all of us
are all one living human tissue"

- Roni Dalumi

 

 Read the lyrics here



Just saw four Coyotes (or maybe Coywolves) on my evening walk!

 

They must have been about half a kilometer away.

All looked like adults

 

Wish I had my other lens and tripod!

There's one sitting down in the center.

What the Hawk did next

While I was waiting for the hummingbird to arrive on the birdfeeder,

I briefly turned towards the tree nearby,

and hidden quietly among the branches was this large hawk!

 

Must have been about 18 to 20 inches tall.

 

It was hiding, and trying not to make eye contact with me

 

 

But I stared straight into its eyes!

Then it noticed my presence

And it was also eyeing the dove on the branch behind it

(see silhouette below)

The hummingbird arrived,

and then the hawk turned its attention towards it, jut a few feet below.

 

Would I allow this large bird of prey to catch the pretty, frail hummingbird right before my eyes?

Well, probably not.
(Last year we saw a smaller hawk swoop down and catch a helpless cardinal. Sad ...)

But I would also not harm the hawk. I'd rather allow nature to have its way.

GOD is the creator of all creatures great and small,

and HE is in control of everything that happens,

whatever we see as good and bad





The hawk kept darting its gaze towards the dove, the hummingbird, me, a nearby cardinal,

and lots of other birds as if it was deciding which to catch.

 

Armed with four types of colour receptors, the hawk as exceptional eyesight,

and it is licensed to kill with its claws!

It gave me one last look,

was this the end ...?

 

And then, it turned around ...

As if it had lost interest in its pursuit ...

And in a flash it was gone!